Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has rejected President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo directive on withdrawal of his powers.

Farmaajo, in a statement released by Villa Somalia on Thursday, said that he had suspended PM Roble’s powers to hire and fire government officials until after elections are held.

However, Roble said the directive was unconstitutional and the president has no powers to prevent the prime minister from conducting his duties.

“The letter issued by the President titled ‘Suspension of the powers of the Prime Minister promoting elections’ clearly violates the Provisional Constitution,” Roble said in a statement.

Law

He said that Farmaajo had incorrectly misinterpreted Articles 87 and 90 of the constitution, arguing that they do not give the president authority to interfere in his constitutional powers.

Earlier on Thursday, Farmaajo ordered the suspension of the prime minister from leading the electoral processes and related security matters.

“The prime minister diverted from the powers bestowed upon him, based on the speech of President Farmaajo and the endorsement by the Lower House of the parliament,” the president’s statement said, accusing Roble of breaching the constitutional stipulations and agreed mandates.

The president instructed electoral teams to conduct the polls with the support of Federal Member States (FMS).

In response, PM Roble said Farmaajo violated the terms of the provisional constitution that empowers him to conduct the business of the government.